


in bloom

by erzi



Category: ACCA13区監察課 | ACCA 13-ku Kansatsuka
Genre: M/M, takes place sometime after ep 12
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-03-31 23:35:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13985691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erzi/pseuds/erzi
Summary: "Let's walk around," Lotta says when they're done eating. "I want to see as much as I can."They end up falling behind Lotta, which she only notices when no one replies to her spoken musings. She pouts. Is she so giddy her steps are too quick to keep up with, or are the two of them just that slow?





	in bloom

Badon is all concrete and glass with its buildings short and squat or lithely scraping the sky; it's flesh and steel with crowds of people moving past each other to a thousand different places, and long lines of vehicles humming idly in traffic. It's a thrilling, thriving place Lotta loves with all her heart.

But it's still nice to get away from the noise every once in a while.

The air is crisp and free around her. She breathes in deeply, taking in the scents of nature the city lacks: the organic mustiness of the earth, the fresh greenness of mowed grass, the delicate perfume of the wildflowers in bloom.

She turns around, beaming. "Isn't it amazing?"

"It's hard to believe this is still Badon," Jean says.

Nino looks appreciatively about. "Kind of feels like we stepped into a fairytale book."

Jean smiles, ever enigmatic. "Maybe we have."

"Where should we eat?" Lotta holds up the picnic basket hanging from her arm. "And did one of you bring the blanket I asked for? I don't see that either of you have it."

The two exchange a glance.

Lotta sighs. "I knew I should have grabbed it myself. We'll have to eat on the grass, then. Hopefully no ants get on the food."

They pick a spot beneath a young, slender tree, one of the few in this hilly area. The food Lotta has brought is simple, since she's certain that when they are back in the city, Nino and Jean will end up eating and drinking at a bar. She passes out water bottles, paper plates, sandwiches, and cookies. The fruit she cut stays in its plastic container on top of the picnic basket, forks next to it.

"You made the cookies too, right?" Nino asks, biting into his.

"Yup! They're not as fun to bake as bread, though."

"You shouldn't eat the cookie first," Jean says, reaching for the fruit. "It's sweet and should be dessert."

Nino smirks. "I think I'm old enough to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. But that's interesting, considering you just scooped half the strawberries on your plate."

"They're healthy..."

"Still sweet.

Lotta giggles. "You can eat in whatever order, I don't mind. Just don't make a mess. Put the trash inside the basket."

"Got it," Nino says.

Jean nods in acknowledgment, too busy eating the strawberries to verbally reply.

Lotta eats her sandwich first. She leans against the tree, leaves swishing in a light spring breeze. How lovelier can any of this get?

"So no more pictures?" she says, turning to Nino. "It makes me kind of sad. It's a picture-perfect day."

"That it is, but it's not like I have no way of remembering today. These will be mental memories, now."

Jean nudges Nino's thigh with his own. "Then we're in trouble."

"Please, both of you have terrible memories."

"Give me a little credit, Lotta," Nino says. "When it comes to you two, I always remember."

Lotta briefly looks at Jean. His expression is softened. She smiles and sips her water. "Except bringing a blanket."

"I _almost_ always remember."

The breeze picks up again, easily carrying their laughter.

"Let's walk around," Lotta says when they're done eating. "I want to see as much as I can."

They end up falling behind Lotta, which she only notices when no one replies to her spoken musings. She pouts. Is she so giddy her steps are too quick to keep up with, or are the two of them just that slow?

They walk side-by-side, their hands brushing against each other in the small distance between them. She can't hear whatever they're talking about from where she stands, but whatever it is, it has both of them smiling, their eyes only on each other.

She finds herself smiling too. _I bet one of them is going to trip, though_ , she thinks, and is proven right a few seconds later.

"You should watch where you're going, Jean," she chides lightly once they're near her.

He rubs his neck, embarrassed.

She hands Nino the basket. "You two seem tired. You should rest here a while."

Nino frowns. "We're not-"

"I'm going to go pick flowers, I won't stray that far, I'll be back soon so don't move, bye!" she says, all in one breath before either of them could dispute, and quickly walks away. She looks back when she's a good distance away. They've both settled, apparently; Nino's laying down on the grass and Jean sits beside him, although they still seem a little confused as to what happened.

She affectionately rolls her eyes. Honestly, those two.

She didn't lie. She kneels, the grass a cushion on her knees, and gathers the pink flowers that dot the landscape. Not that many, though; she's fairly sure it isn't actually allowed, and she feels a little guilty picking them. But the petals are pretty, and the stems are long, sturdy yet flexible enough to be made into a flower crown. She weaves the stems through touch alone; she's done this before enough times it's like second nature.

She watches Nino and Jean, instead.

Jean digs around his jacket for a cigarette. Lotta isn't pleased by that – why would he smoke here? – but if she's picking flowers she's not meant to, she'll allow him one smoke. He's even gathering the ashes on a paper plate.

Nino's eyes are closed, but he's not asleep. He says something that makes Jean chuckle.

_That's expected_ , Lotta thinks fondly.

Neither of them talk very much after that. Jean smokes, Nino rests.

_But t_ _hey don't really need words at this point_ _, do they?_   Lotta's fingers fumble, so she looks down to tie the knot properly. And she's finished.

"Perfect!" she says, admiring her handicraft before putting it on her head. She gets her phone from her pocket and takes a picture, and then takes the flower crown off.

As she stands back up, facing Nino and Jean, another breeze comes along, stronger this time. It scatters stray petals, flutters all of their hair. She folds her hands behind her back, flower crown in her grasp.

_It_ is _a little like a fairytale_ , she thinks, just as Jean and Nino break into laughter. She smiles. _For them, at least._

**Author's Note:**

> this makes 100 fics for this series.... we did it kids, we climbed this whole mountain
> 
> this is based off [the gay ass cover from the 3rd bd](https://78.media.tumblr.com/7d635383e6e603d6389023bfca757e02/tumblr_orul63q3dX1utb0w4o2_1280.jpg). coincidentally this is the 3rd fic i do based off official art. i'm not saying madhouse loves ninojean too but that's exactly what i'm saying


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